Showing posts with label Watch Listen Read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Watch Listen Read. Show all posts

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Franklin TV: I Leave You Now

Encore: Silent Sleep of Trees. 
by Pete Fasciano

Franklin TV: I Leave You Now

I leave you now. ‘tis time to leave.
I leave – that you alone may grieve 
the waning loss of warmth and light, 
and lengthening of Winter night.

This moment left to cherish
  in the fading of the lush,
and bright chromatic flourish
  I leave, with whispered rush.

My emblematic red and gold 
that rustle ‘round to fall and fold
in swirly-whirly waves of wind
my crested crown has fallen, thinned.

I leave you now, with one lament. 
These remnants of a Summer spent,
I leave them all, my last release 
of glory, reconciled in peace.

When naked branches, Winter-stark
defy the sky’s encroaching dark. 
Remember Now – This now – This time
This last Autumnal lilt, sublime.

I leave you now, I leave – to sleep
that Winter slumber, soft and deep.

On Spring’s return we meet again, 
to grow again – renew and then 
rejoice the rising of the days.
But, here and now, I leave, ablaze.

I know you’ll miss me.
    Sad, but true.
Know also 
    that
        I’ll miss you, too.

Watch, Listen, and Read all that matters in Franklin, MA
Watch, Listen, and Read all that matters in Franklin, MA

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

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Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Finance Committee FY 2026 Budget Hearings - Collection

  • 1st Budget Hearing for FY 2026: Finance Committee hears of the Franklin School budget




Summary post (audio, video, transcript and released agenda docs) ->

  • 2nd FY 2026 budget hearing confirms what happens if June 3 override fails for Police, Fire, DPW services




Summary post (audio, video, transcript and released agenda docs) ->

  • Finance Committee closes out FY 2026 budget hearings




Summary post (audio, video, transcript and released agenda docs) ->
 
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Finance Committee FY 2026 Budget Hearings - Collection
Finance Committee FY 2026 Budget Hearings - Collection

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Saturday, March 22, 2025

Watch, Listen, Read: The 6th Joint Budget Listening Session - Wednesday, March 19

This combines the video, audio, and transcript for the 6th of the 6 listenting sessions in advance of the possible override decision/discussion for the FY 2026 budget.

This is the sixth of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.

** Watch




** Listen


** Read 
Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.  PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CHnwgdsqQ-HtVC0RC_bgGQy2vUz34mdX/view?usp=drive_link


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You can find the collection of video, audio, and transcripts for ALL the Listening Sessions here ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/joint-budget-listening-sessions-fy-2026.html 


Joint Budget Subcommittee recommends to the Town Council a $3.862 M override for Tuesday, June 3 (video)
Joint Budget Subcommittee recommends to the Town Council a $3.862 M override for Tuesday, June 3
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Friday, March 14, 2025

Voices of Franklin: O'Sullivan - Why I voted 'No' Wednesday night

As a result of the 9-1 vote to recommend the override amount, I was curious as to why the no vote was cast. My email query went to Ruthann and this is her response:

In response to your question about why I voted no at the meeting last night, I really appreciate you following up so that nobody misunderstands my intent. 

To be clear, I am absolutely going to support this $3.9M override should the Town Council move forward. I believe another failed override will devastate our school district beyond repair. 

If not for the tremendous work of Superintendent Giguere and his team redistricting the entire school system, closing down schools, and consolidating resources, our district would be in absolute disarray. 

The reason I voted no, is because I'm concerned about the ability to pass additional overrides in the near future. There is an agreement among the committees in town that small future overrides are going to be necessary. In fact, in the Town Administrator's fiscal forecast, the town could be looking at a deficit as early as 2027. There are some unknown variables, and we can hope this will not be the case. However, this potential creates much angst among not just parents, but the teachers in our district who have endured consistent layoffs for the last decade. 

I am also concerned that if we do need to patch a gap in the town's budget through another override, it will likely be the responsibility of the School Committee and district to request and campaign for this need alone. Historically, when an override election takes place solely for our school district, it has failed. Notably, this is because parents tend to be underrepresented in local elections. 

As stated at the JBSC meeting last night, we have the ability to draft a question for the election that would present more than one option to the residents to vote on. One being level service, and one being "levels service plus" which could include an additional amount that would provide increased stability to the district. Our Superintendent has five new schools to get up and running this fall. And although the basic infrastructure remains the same, each of these five schools have new principals, teaching staff, students, bus routes, schedules, and so on. 

This is a massive undertaking, and parents want to ensure our educators have the support to execute this without unnecessary obstacles. Providing a "stabilization account" so to speak, for the school department and/or the town, would allow our leadership team to stay focused on the tasks at hand, and eliminate concerns around potential disruptions, or unforeseen events that could interfere with a smooth transition. 

I also firmly disagree that our governing body must predict what a "passable" override should be. Instead, I feel that giving the voters a choice would be the more democratic way to propose this question to the town. This idea is not novel, and I do not agree that voters will be too confused, and that confusion could result in a failed override. 

In summary, I am one-hundred percent in support of solving this structural deficit.

I will campaign my heart out, side by side with the One Franklin Committee as they educate our residents around the importance of investing and preserving our amazing community and those that serve it. 

Thanks for reaching out, I'll see you on the campaign trail!

Best,
Ruthann O'Sullivan

Franklin School Committee
Member Joint Budget Sucommittee


Guidelines for your submission

Voices of Franklin: Listening Session
Voices of Franklin: Joint Budget Listening Session
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Monday, March 10, 2025

Watch, Listen, Read: The 5th Joint Budget Listening Session - Saturday, March 8

This combines the video, audio, and transcript for the 5th of the 6 listenting sessions in advance of the possible override decision/discussion for the FY 2026 budget.

This is the fifth of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.





** Read 

Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.  PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z1SxqeiATwyuoUB8oiIn2dXPei-z_JlW/view?usp=drive_link


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Friday, March 7, 2025

Watch, Listen, Read: Joint Budget Listening Session #4 - 03/04/25

This combines the video, audio, and transcript for the 4th of the 6 listenting sessions in advance of the possible override decision/discussion for the FY 2026 budget.

This is the fourth of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.


** Watch




Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.  PDF ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p--f1IFeDVCerj94dprC1nLinoGqMreR/view?usp=drive_link
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Sunday, February 23, 2025

Watch, Listen, Read: Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Session #3 at Franklin Senior Center - 02/19/25

This combines the video, audio, and transcript for the 3rd of the 6 listenting sessions in advance of the possible override decision/discussion for the FY 2026 budget.

This is the third of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.


** Watch



** Listen


** Read
Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.


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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

NYTimes.com: A Democrat Who Is Thinking Differently (Listen, Read)

From The New York Times:
NYTimes.com: A Democrat Who Is Thinking Differently (Listen, Read)
A Democrat Who Is Thinking Differently (Listen, Read)
A Democrat Who Is Thinking Differently

Representative Jake Auchincloss discusses how the Democratic Party can offer meaningful alternatives to voters.
Continue to read the article via this "gift" link ->    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jake-auchincloss.html?smid=em-share

You can read the article using the Franklin Library subscription to the NY Times. Follow these steps to do that ->

The article is an edited transcript of an hour long conversation by Ezra Klien and Congressman Jake Auchincloss. You can listen to the podcast episode here ->


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Watch, Listen, Read: Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Session #2 at Remington-Jefferson - 02/12/25

This combines the video, audio, and transcript for the 2nd of the 6 listenting sessions in advance of the possible override decision/discussion for the FY 2026 budget.

This is the second of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.

** Watch


** Listen

** Read
Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.


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Listening Session #2 at Remington-Jefferson - 02/12/25
Listening Session #2 at Remington-Jefferson - 02/12/25
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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Watch, Listen, Read: Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Session #1 at the Elks Lodge - 01/30/25

This post combines the video, audio, and transcript from this important session. 

This is the first of 6 listening sessions scheduled through March 12, 2025 in advance of a decision on an override (yes, or no), when? and for what amount. The decision discussion is committed to be on the agenda for the March 19 Town Council meeting.

Watch



Listen


Read
Transcript prepared by Otter.ai and edited for speaker name accuracy. As the audio time stamp is also included you can synch the transcript to either the video or audio to catch the full spoken word.


First session of the Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Tour
First session of the Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Tour

The agenda doc https://franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01302025-1536 


The agenda packet includes:


a. Town Administrator FY26 Budget Update #4 Memorandum - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4201/Town-Administrator-FY26-Budget-Update-4-Memorandum- 


b. Updated FY26 Budget Model (1/30/25)  - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4191/02b-FY26-Budget-Control-Sheet---Control-Summary 


c. Estimated Override Matrix  - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4190/02c-Override-Tax-Rate-Impact-Calculationxlsx---Sheet1 


d. Board of Assessors Request Letter  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4189/02d-Board-of-Assessors-Support-for-Administrative-Assistant


The Franklin TV video is available for replay ->    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWIm5bsscs0


My full set of notes in one PDF ->   

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DK7FArRJNsgwnwdXSehJtDtQRbleA0x8/view?usp=drive_link 


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